A temporary car park in the centre of Cheltenham is to stay open for another three years.

Cheltenham Borough Council's planning committee agreed to keep the temporary public pay and display car park, which it owns, at Synagogue Lane in the town centre.

It has been used as a car park since 2015 and serves the parking demands of the Jessop Avenue office quarter.

But it was identified as a location for new employment development in the Cheltenham Plan.

Council officers said there has been little interest since 2020 in redeveloping the car park for employment and there is currently a surplus of office space within the market. The recommendation was therefore to keep the car park open for a further three years.

Cllr Bernie Fisher (LD, Swindon Village) said: "A mixed development on there would be excellent and we would have some control because we are the landowners. We've got to take opportunities to control the five-year land supply.

"I realise the demand for office space is down, but we need some good housing and that would be a very good site."

Cllr Emma Nolan (Conservative, Leckhampton) said: "The short-term is three years' car park, because we need car parking in this part of town.

"During that three years, we will be working on the Joint Strategic Plan and looking at this site as a medium-term development, where we should be putting affordable homes. Meanwhile in the short term we use this as a car park where it is needed."